Playpen



J y 8, 1952 c. e. CALDWELL, JR

PLAYPEN Filed April 24, 1947 i atented july 8, 19.52

aeoasis PLAYPEN cinema s. Caldwell, Jr., Birmingham, Ala. Application April 24, 1947., Serial No. Marne I 5 Claims. (01. 256- 25) i yUN'lTED STATES PATENT OFFICE Y J This invention relates to, a childs collapsible play pen and has 'for an object the provision of an article of the character designated'which shall be simple and rugged of construction, easily collapsed and opened out for use, and which shall embody means when in open position for looking the pen against accidental collapse.

A further object of my invention is to provide a play pen having hinged corners with two longer and two shorter sides, the longer sides being "bent inwardly at their meeting endsto provide a space for holding the two shorter sides when the pen is collapsed, and the hinges being so disposed as to restrain opening movement of the sides beyond a predetermined limit. I

A still further object of my invention is" to provide a collapsible play pen with a removable canvas bottom having means for engaging the corners and restraining the pen against accidental collapse.

A play pen embodying features of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig, 1 is an isometric view of the pen in open position and with the bottom removed;

Fig. 2 is aplan view of the pen with the bottom in position; W

i Fig. 3 is ahori zonta'l sectional view taken along the line III-III of Fig. 1 and showing the pen collapsed and turned over to better portray the fastening devices;

.Fig. 4 isa detail'perspective view showing the meeting ends of a pair of the longer rails;

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view showing the meeting ends of two of the longer and shorter rails; and

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of a pair of meeting, mitered shorter rails.

Referring now to the drawing for a better understanding of my invention, my improved play pen embodies two longer sides A and B and two shorter sides C and D. Each of the sides, as shown, is comprised of upper and lower rails joined together by a plurality of pickets E which are mortised into the rails as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing.

The upper and lower rails Ill and l l of the side A and the upper and lower rails l2 and [3 of the side B are bent inwardly at an obtuse angle so that when the side members A and B are moved inwardly parallel to each other, the distance between the rails l0 and I2 and the distance between the rails H and i3 are equal approximately the combined width of the side members C and D, as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4 and are scarfed to provide overlapping tenon's' I l, 16, l l, and 18,,as' shown in Fig. '1 of the drawing. The overlapping" tenons are joined together by hinge pins 1 9 and 21 which preferably are located in the transverse center of the rails l0l I and I2 'I3. The upper and lower rails 22 and 23 of the side '0 where they meet with the upper and lower rails Ill and 1*] of the longer side A'are scarfed, as are the meet ing ends of the rails l0 and H, to provide upper and lower overlapping tenons 24, '26, 2'7, and 28. The sides A and C are joined t'ogetherfby means or flap hinges '29 and 3] with their hinge pins 32 and '33 on the inside of the pen. These hinges, in cooperation with the scarfed ends of the rails prevent an opening movement of the sides A and C with respect to each other of only slightly more than Similarly, at the opposite corner of the pen the upper and lower rails 1'2 and ['3 of the side B, and the upper and lower rails 311 and '36 of "the side D have their ends scarred and hinged together as described, as may be clearly seen in Figs. 1 and 5 of the drawing; The meeting ends of the upper and 'lower'ra'ils 22 and 23 of the side "C and the upper and lower rails '34 and 360i the side D are mitered as shown in'Fig's. 1 and 6 of the drawing. The meeting mitered ends of the rails 22 and 34 are joined togetherjbyahinge 31, and the meeting ends of the rails 23 and 3-5 are jo'ined'together "by means of a similar hinge 38. The hinge pin 39' for the hinge 3"! and the pin 1H for the hinge 38 is on the outside of the play pen as shown in Fig. '1 of the drawing. This arrangement of 'thehinges 3! and 38 restrains the sides C and D from an opening movement of the pen slightly beyond 90, but permits a relative movement, when collapsing the play pen, of slightly less than 270 as shown in Figs. 3 and 6 of the drawing.

In order to prevent accidental collapse of the pen when opened and in use, I provide a latch comprising a bar 42, pivoted at 43 to the rail 22 and having a hook 44 on its outer end adapted to engage in an eye 46 carried by the rail 34. This restrains the sides C and D against an inward, or collapsing movement, while an inward movement of the other corner is restrained by means of the scarfed ends of the rails and the hinges on the inner sides of the meeting rails. I alsorprovide a second eye 41 on the rail B adapted to be engaged by the hook 44 when the pen is collapsed, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing, whereby the pen is more readily handled and stored away when not in use. By positioning the pins l9 and 2! 1n the transverse center of their respective rails, a close fitting joint at the meeting ends of the rails is obtained. With other than a center hinge pin arrangement an opening would be left which could injure the user while the pen is in use or in folding or opening the same.

As shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, I also provide a bottom 48 for the pen which may be readily attached and detached which aids in restraining the pen against collapse when in use. The bottom 43 is preferably made of canvas orother suitable fabric and is provided with corner pockets 49, 5|, 52, and 53, which are adapted to engage over the corner of the pen when open,

as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that I have devised an improved collapsible childs play pen which is simple and sturdy of construction, and which embodies simple, effective means for holding the pen against collapse when in use. Also, when my improved pen is in folded position, all hinge pins and locking devices lie within the confines of the-framework of the pen.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications, without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A collapsible play pen comprising four sides hingedly connected one to another, two adjoining sides being longer than the other two sides, .each side comprising spaced apart rails con- :nected together by pickets, the ends of the rails .of the longer sides being scarfed, each rail of the longer sides also having a bend adjacent one end, each of said bends being directed toward the other longer side, the scarfed ends adjacent the bends fitting together in overlapping rela- 'tion, one end of each rail of the shorter sides being scarfed and arranged in overlapping relation with that scarfed end of one of the rails of .a longer side which is remote from the bend in :such longer side rail, the other ends of the rails (of the shorter sides being mitered, the hinges .of the play pen being so arranged that the shorter sides maybe folded toward the longer sides and be nested between the longer sides. I

2. A collapsible play pen as set forth in claim 1 in which the play pen is provided with a latch member pivotally connected to one of the shorter side rails adjacent the mitered end thereof, an eye for receiving the latch member carried by the adjoining shorter side rail adjacent the mitered end thereof, and a second eye carried by one of the longer side rails and engageable by the latch member when the shorter sides are nested between the longer sides.

3. A collapsible play pen as set forth in claim 1 in which the pivot points of the hinges connecting the mitered ends of the rails of the shorter sides are outside the play pen, and the pivot points of the hinges connecting the ends of the rails of the shorter sides which are remote from .the mitered ends thereof to the adjoining ends of the rails of the longer sides are on the inside of the play pen.

4. A collapsible play pen as defined in claim 1 in which the hinges connecting the mitered ends of the rails of the shorter sides are constructed and arranged to assume fully closed position when the play pen is open thereby holding the shorter sides against pivotal movement outwardly of the play pen, and in which releasable fastening means span the corner of the play pen adjacent the mitered ends of the rails of the shorter sides to lock the hinges for said mitered ends in fully closed position thereby locking the shorter sides against pivotal movement inwardly of the play pen.

5. A collapsible play pen as defined in claim 1 in which the ends of the rails of the shorter sides which are remote from the mitered ends thereof and the adjoining ends of the rails of the longer sides are scarfed to provide overlapping tenons which restrain the sides against an opening movement of slightly more than 3 CLARENCE G. C'ALDW'ELL, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this. patent:

' UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain I Feb. 1, 1908 

